The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1887-07-27

has eaten 80 called sugar cured Dams
aud is sick, gives you Is cents pound
for them, and "blesses his stars and calls
it luxury" B. r. TILLMAN.
Roper's, S. c., July 2, 1887.
First Manassas.
To day is the anniversary of the battle
of first Manassas, which was fought
twenty-six years ago. Itwas our fortune
to be orderly for Gen. NJ. L. Bonham
who held the center in that historic con.
quest. We were especially detailed to
serve at headquarters month before the
battle, being private in company B.,
9TH S. q. V. commanded by Col. Thomas
G. Bacon. Gen. Bonham was the high
est officer in the army of South Carolina,
and therefore was the ranking officer in
the Confederate service. For weeks
before the battle he commanded the
advanced forces, observing Washington.
His headquarters were at Fairfax C.H.
1t is a historic spot, where George
Washington attended church.
In general appearance it was ancient
and venerable. The residents had
mostly gone to parts unknown, but
nearly every house was occupied by SOL
diers of the cause.
Gen. Bonham established his head.
quarters in Female College. The
grounds in front showed good taste, the
evergreens and shrubbery being hand.
somely trimmed. The kitchen garden
was in prosperous cultivation. The
walks were bordered with hedges of cur.
rants in full fruit, ripe and luscious to
the taste. A handsome piano wasjn ons
of the rooms and in the evenings was
always iu use by Samuel W. Melton and
young man Godfrey from Cheraw, who
were skilled in music. The building was
commodious and furnished apartments
for as large staff as any general ever
had in the war. The war was new
thing then, and every man was anxious
to get to the front before peace was made.
The regular and volunteer staff of Gen.
Bonham consisted Of Coils. George W.
Lay and Walter H. Stephens Of the old
army.
From civil life there were Samuel
MCGOWAN, W. d. Simpson, R. B. Boyle.
ston, W. P. Butler, SIS. Tompkins, w.
g. Morange, Samuel W. Melton, Will.
lam F. Nance, A. P. Aldrich, Milledge
Lipscomb, T. j. Lipscomb, j. N. Lips.
comb and number of others whose
names We cannot call to mind just now.
Every man had uniform to suit himself,
most of them borrowing from the old
army in the matter Of buttons and gold
lace. i
The country about Fairfax vas land Of
plenty. Turkeys, chickens, excellent
beef and every imaginable producto of the
farm were easily procured at very insig-
nifcant prices. We lived in land
flowing with milk and honey in literal
sense.
The war, however, was upon us and we
had to abandon the delightful camp at
Fairfax. Mcdowell came down from
Washington with an overwhelming force.
From Flint Hill q cannon shot or two
were sent hurting through the air to let
us know that the enemy was advancing.
The firing was wild and only the limbs
of a few struggling trees we're torn of.
We turned our backs upon Fairfax,
Germantown and Centerville and halted
at Mitchell's Ford on Bull Run. As ne
left Fairfax the Yankee bands were
playing, "Get out of the Wilderness"
A few shells burst near the retiring
forces. The dust rose in clouds but the
faithful volunteers held their places like
veterans until they reached the shady
banks of Bull Run, where the final stand
was to be made. The banks of this
stream were precipitous. The hillside
upon which we bivouacked was crowned
with primeval oaks and NAPLES. The
laurel hung low over thesluggish stream.
There we turned upon the invaders who
crowed upon us in all the pomp and cir.
cumstances of glorious war. The whole
horizon was darkened with the historic
blue of their uniforms. Every advance
was -repulsed.1 Tie battle of the 10Th
resulted in the signal discontinue of the
enemy. We waited patiently till the
twenty. first when Mcdowell advanced
with all his host. The first important
battle of the war here ensued. The
United States forces were utterly routed,
leaving their provisions, small armsSaud
artillery on the field, where thousands of
their soldiers lay dead upon the ground,
with no speculation in their eyes. 1t
was but motley crowd that fled to
Washington. 1t was "every man for
himself"
"Like one who on some lonesome road
Doth waIk in fcar and tread
And having once turned round
Walks on and turns no moro his head,